Bayer AG said on Tuesday that its Monsanto unit, which the German pharmaceutical giant acquired last year, kept a list of "supportive and critical stakeholders" in at least seven European countries.

The company noted Monsanto hired public relations firm FleishmanHillard to compile lists of stakeholders in France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom, and possibly other countries. Bayer added that lists also included stakeholders related to European Union institutions and mostly consisted of journalists, politicians and other interest groups. As a result of the findings of the investigation, the German company suspended its collaboration with FleishmanHillard.

Earlier this month, Bayer launched a probe into the alleged stakeholder mapping after French prosecutors said they were investigating Monsanto over Le Monde's claims the firm kept a file of 200 stakeholders with the goal to influence positions on pesticides. At the time, the German company said it had "no indication that the preparation of the lists under discussion violated any legal provisions."